Medical Camps

Widows and Orphans International together withOmega Foundationand Port Florence Community Hospital in Kenya organized and held medical camps on Mageta Island in 2010.The main objective of the medical camps is to provide free quality health care services to the local community given the fact that majority of the households live below the poverty line hence cannot afford quality health care.

Mageta is a small island approx107KM2 in size located on Lake Victoria, 1. 2KM away from the mainland. It has the highest poverty levels in Bondo District. Bondo district is one of the poorest districts in the country with 41.1% of the population living below the poverty line[1].The HIV prevalence in the district stands at 29.4% compared to 5.9 % at National Level[2].The main economic activities in Mageta Island are fishing and small scale subsistence farming. Fishing however accounts for the main source of employment in the Island. Most inhabitants of Mageta Island are traditional and strictly follow their cultural practices which include wife inheritance. Risky sexual behaviors such as “fish for sex” are also common. This is where a woman fish monger offers herself for sex to a fisherman for more fish. These women are commonly referred to as “Joboya” in the local language. Apart from HIV/AIDS, Mageta Island inhabitants are prone to diseases like Malaria, Typhoid and Tuberclosis.

The medical camp was made possible through the generous financial support from BBC in the UK .Other partners who contributed by giving donations in form of drugs to be used in the camp include Kentons limited, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Dafra Pharmacy, Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA),Kisumu and Kisumu District Hospital.

Mageta Medical Camp

The medical camp targeted 2000 community members. It was able to reach out to 1073 community members. A total of 930 people were treated for various diseases including Malaria, Typhoid, and Tuberculosis while 133 people received Voluntary Counseling and Testing services. 10 men also underwent Voluntary Male Circumcision.